Do you Always Wear your Seatbelt?

We’ve heard it over and over again: seatbelts save lives. Click it or ticket. From the time we’re very young, we’re admonished on the importance of wearing seatbelts. So how could anyone disregard those warnings when driving somewhere with a young child?

Last month, a 2-year-old was injured after falling from the window of a minivan that had just been in a crash. Almost exactly one year ago, a tragic accident took the life of a 6-year-old girl caused by similar circumstances.

According to North Carolina Highway Patrol, Mayte Alexandra Santos-Pastor fell out of a moving minivan and was run over by the vehicle’s back tire. Investigators say the child was not wearing a seatbelt and the van’s door was open while the vehicle was in motion. The 6-year-old was transported to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem and pronounced dead shortly after. There were four other children in the van when the incident occurred.

Santos-Pastor’s mother, Aminadab Pastor-Segura, was driving the minivan and was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and reckless driving.

According to neighbors, the family lived on the road where the accident occurred, and some said they’d witnessed Pastor-Segura driving with the van’s side door open before.

In 2014, seatbelt use in the United States was 87 percent, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). California’s rate for 2014 was 97.1 percent, second only to Georgia, which led the nation at 97.3 percent in 2014. Still, the national average shows that some 15 percent of Americans either don’t see the value of wearing a seatbelt, or for some reason choose to disregard it.

It only takes a few seconds to ensure that you and everyone in your vehicle are buckled up—and doing so might save a life. The injuries sustained by these young children is a grim reminder to always buckle up, even when you feel like you’re somewhere safe like your own neighborhood.

“It’s been proven time and again that wearing your seatbelt is the most effective way to prevent injury and death in an auto accident,” said Attorney Clark, founder of Walter Clark Legal Group.

Our firm has been handling personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout the California Low Desert and High Desert communities for over 30 years. With a 95% success rate, the California personal injury attorneys at Walter Clark Legal Group will fight to hold those responsible for your loss accountable and win compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you’ve been injured in an auto accident or have lost a loved one due to negligence and want to discuss your legal options, contact us for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer today. We have offices in Indio, Rancho Mirage, Victorville, and Yucca Valley and represent clients through the entire California Low Desert and High Desert communities.

DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.

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